Various construction projects over the summer will improve the safety, beauty and walkability of the UChicago campus, while rerouting some major pedestrian pathways in the short term. The projects that will have the most impact on getting around campus are on Dorchester Avenue at the Midway Plaisance, on University Avenue at 58th Street, and on the north and east ends of the Main Quadrangle. Visitors and residents are encouraged to consult construction maps for the best routes through campus.
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Midway Crossing at Dorchester
The Midway Crossings project continues with a new street walkway on Dorchester Avenue, reaching from 59th to 60th streets. The walkway will mirror the design of the crossings at Ellis Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue, with similar lighting masts, railings, retaining walls, and landscaping to separate pedestrians from traffic. These crossings have widened the walkways and created safe, well-lit paths for pedestrians. Dorchester Avenue is another campus route with significant foot traffic, and the expansion of Midway Crossings to this intersection will improve the pedestrian experience for the UChicago community, neighborhood residents and visitors to the Midway parkland. The design is inspired by Frederick Law Olmsted’s original concept of the Midway Plaisance as a waterway with bridge crossings.
Construction will begin on Dorchester Avenue in June and should be completed by December 2012, with the final landscaping in the spring of 2013.
Landscaping in Main Quad area
The limestone paver project also will be extended this summer to the north end of the Main Quad. This project began in 2009, replacing asphalt and concrete roadways with limestone walkways and porous concrete surfaces. The new walkways are part of a larger effort to create a safe and welcoming campus for pedestrians, while the use of pavers and porous concrete also allows rainwater to return to the ground rather than channeling it to sewers. Pavers are already in place on the Main Quad and Harper Quad.
To accommodate the construction this summer, the north end of the Main Quad will be closed from the Cobb Gate to Kent Hall. There will be no through access to 57th Street from the Main Quadrangle, and traffic will be re-routed to Ellis or University Avenue during phases of the construction. This project will begin mid-June, and is scheduled for completion before orientation of incoming students in the fall.
The University will develop the area enclosed by Snell-Hitchcock and nearby buildings into a large green space. This involves constructing a gentle hill, additional benches, and accessible ramps. The new lawn will accommodate a wide variety of student activities, creating a pleasant outdoor environment for the many students who live nearby.
Chilled Water Distribution on Main Quad and University Avenue
To update the water supply to various campus buildings, new equipment and piping will be laid on the north sides of Rosenwald and Walker halls to 58th Street and University Avenue. This work will allow for delivery of air conditioning to several campus buildings in the future. Temporary pedestrian paths will be created to allow uninterrupted access to College Admissions, and Rosenwald and Walker halls. University Avenue will remain open during the construction, though cars and pedestrians near University and Woodlawn Avenues and 58th Street may be rerouted for short phases. This project also begins in mid-June, and the majority of the work on the quadrangles will be completed before the beginning of Fall Quarter.
Many other renovation projects are coming this summer. Each is intended to enhance and prolong the life of the buildings that comprise the distinctive University of Chicago campus. The Reneker Memorial Organ will move from the Chicago Theological Seminary to a new home in Bond Chapel. The auditorium in Mandel Hall and the stone façades of Swift Hall and Foster Hall are all scheduled for renovation and repair, among others.
Access to all open campus buildings will be preserved for persons with disabilities during these constructions and renovations, but anyone who may need additional information or assistance should contact Matthew Curtin in Facilities Services at 773-834-7773 or mcurtin@uchicago.edu.
—Prof. Jacqueline Stewart
